The invention relates to a kit assembly adaptable for a connection to a paint ball gun body to change a mechanical pneumatically powered paint ball gun to an electro-pneumatic powered paint ball gun.
Paint ball guns are widely used in various recreational environments, such as simulated war games wherein it is the intent to shoot an opposing member with the paint ball gut and hit the opposition with the paint ball.
Paint ball guns using compressed air or gas are well known. Until recently, most paint ball guns were mechanical pneumatically powered guns. The entry of electro-pneumatically powered paint ball guns provided a more consistently top performing device for the recreational market. An electro-pneumatic paint ball gun provides improved performance with less component malfunctions than the mechanical-pneumatic paint ball gun. The electro-pneumatic paint ball gun shoots faster and more consistently in a lighter and more compact package than the mechanical pneumatic paint ball guns.
The cost to purchase the new electro pneumatically powered paint ball guns can be high. It would therefore be desirable to provide a paint ball kit assembly which could be simply retrofitted onto an existing paint ball gun body that would change a mechanical pneumatically powered paint ball gun into an electro-pneumatically powered paint ball gun easily and at a significant cost savings. The current electro-pneumatically powered paint ball guns are specifically manufactured to fit with a specific paint ball gun body. The electro-pneumatic system on existing electro-pneumatically powered paint ball guns can not be easily adapted to the current xe2x80x9cover and underxe2x80x9d bore design of the mechanical-pneumatically operated paint ball guns.
The invention addresses the aforementioned concerns by providing an electro-pneumatically operated paint ball kit assembly for connection to a paint ball gun body and especially a paint ball gun body having an xe2x80x9cover and underxe2x80x9d bore design. A paint ball gun body has a barrel for receiving a paint ball and a cylindrical bore located parallel to the barrel and directly below the barrel. There is a through passageway between the barrel and the bore. A feed inlet connected to a supply of paint balls is open to the barrel. The electro-pneumatically operated kit assembly comprises a moveable bolt configured for disposition and movement within the barrel for selectively sealing and unsealing the feed inlet. A first valve means is provided for positioning the bolt to seal the feed inlet when the first valve means is deactivated and to unseal the feed inlet when the first valve means is activated. The electro-pneumatically operated assembly further comprises a moveable hammer configured for disposition and movement within the cylindrical bore and for selectively sealing and unsealing the through passageway. A second valve means is provided for positioning the hammer to seal the through passageway when the second valve means is deactivated, and to unseal the through passageway when the second valve means is activated. Means is provided for selectively activating each of the first and second valve means independently.
Other objects, advantages and applications of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art when the following description of the best mode contemplated for practicing the invention is read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.